What exactly is a miracle? Here are 7 characteristics

The greatest miracle that ever occurred happened in the very first verse of the Bible — Genesis one. God created the heavens and the earth. If God could speak the universe into existence, create the universe Ex-Nihilo — out of nothing, could He part the Red Sea? Can He raise a man from the dead? Of course! That’s child’s play for Him! If God exists, and he does, then miracles are possible. There have been countless accounts of them.

Richard Purtill, a philosophy professor at Western Washington University, defines a miracle this way:

“A miracle is an event brought about by the power of God that is, a temporary exception to the ordinary course of nature for the purpose of showing that God has acted in history.”^[1]

Miracles are supernatural events. Not events brought about by human power. True miracles are brought about by God.

When Jesus healed people, the results were always immediate. He didn’t say to the paralytic, “You’ll be well in a few days.” No. He said, “Pick up your mat and walk.” He called Lazarus to come out of his grave and he did…immediately. To the woman who touched His robe, He said, “Your faith has healed you,” and she was healed immediately. When Peter cut off the ear of Malchus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus healed his ear immediately. Each of Jesus’ healings was immediate.

A miracle by definition is an exception. Because of this, we can’t expect, predict, or demand one. We can’t predict the activity of God. Miracles are only due to His will.

Miracles can’t be investigated by the usual scientific methods since we can’t control the variable and perform experiments. Science measures and evaluates the natural world. Not the supernatural world.

A miracle will always promote good and never promote evil, because God is good. Miracles are never for show. They have the distinct purpose of glorifying God and pointing man to Him.

A magician can perform an astonishing act that can be reduced to natural means — sleight-of-hand. But a miracle is a rare, supernatural event that demonstrates divine power.

God cannot do the impossible or illogical. But there are some events that are physically impossible for humans, but not physically or logically contradictory for God. For example, it’s physically impossible for a man to walk on water. But there’s nothing self-refuting about this idea for God, and He can do it.^[2]

In light of the above information, it is necessary to re-evaluate events that occur that may be God’s provision, but not a miracle. For example, my husband was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) one year ago. He went through chemotherapy and had many hurdles to cross before he could receive the bone-marrow transplant necessary to save his life. We, and thousands along with us, prayed before each hurdle to be a success for him. Each one turned out to work in his favor. He had his bone-marrow transplant last November and is now cancer free and thriving. Was his healing a miracle? No, because it was not immediate. He was healed over a period of months. However, with all of the hurdles he had to cross, and all the tests, and procedures, that could have gone wrong, but went perfectly, we know without a doubt that his healing was certainly God’s provision.

We give glory and thanks to God every day for healing him.

The purpose of a miracle is to point to and confirm a message from God, or a messenger of God, like the prophets. The story of Elijah at Mt. Carmel is an example. You can read about that in 1 Kings 18.^[3]

We know that the supernatural world is not all good. There are angels and demons. If Satan exists, and he does, he is a supernatural being with the ability to use miraculous powers to deceive us.

How can we tell the difference between a miracle from God and a counterfeit miracle from Satan?

Craig Keener is just one of many authors who recount miracle stories. Keener wrote a two-volume set (Miracles, The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts) on miracles that is 1,000 pages long with hundreds of accounts of miracles that have happened all over the world in our time.

If we believe that miracles can’t happen, maybe what we’re really saying is that miracles never happened to those who said they did, and that those people were just gullible. That is a patronizing and wrong view. Miracles are out of the ordinary and attention-getting in any era of history. God’s goal is to get our attention.

When Jesus rose from the dead 2,000 years ago, that was an epic event. It was so shocking that no one would have believed it unless there were witnesses. But guess what? There were over 500 eyewitnesses who saw Jesus after His resurrection in addition to His own disciples. The point of the resurrection was to prove that Jesus was who He said He was. Many who were skeptics believed after He rose from the dead.

We don’t understand why God heals some people and not others. Sometimes God intervenes in a way that amazes us. Sometimes it’s a healing or a provision where someone gets a check in the mail for the exact amount required at just the right time.

When my husband was sick, I never assumed that God would heal him. I didn’t know what God was going to do. But I knew what He was capable of, and I knew what I wanted Him to do. God healed my husband by providing the necessary means. It was God’s provision.

God’s provision can be just as obvious to us as a miracle is an obvious interruption to our laws of nature. When we see it, it points to God just as clearly as a miracle. It gives God the glory and causes us to see God for whom He is — just, loving, merciful, and abounding in grace. When it doesn’t happen, we need to trust that God knows what He is doing.

“We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order. But Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order. The Bible tells us that God did not originally make the world to have disease, hunger, and death in it. Jesus has come to redeem where it is wrong and heal the world where it is broken. His miracles are not just proofs that He has the power, but also a wonderful foretaste of what He is going to do with that power. Jesus’ miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts that the world we all want is coming.”

[1] Lee Strobel, The Case for Miracles: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Supernatural, (Grand Rapids, Mi., Zondervan, 2018) 27.
[2] Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell, Evidence That Demands A Verdict: Life Changing Truth for a Skeptical World, (Nashville, Tenn., Thomas Nelson, 2017), 666-669
[3] Ibid. 669.

Science fiction writer and futurologist Arthur C. Clarke devised “three laws,” the third of which states, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” That is certainly true, but what if physics fundamentally limits the “magic” that we (or other civilizations) are capable of? There is no reason to assume that technology will advance exponentially forever.

“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” That little aphorism is called Clark’s third law, and it haunts all our efforts to find alien civilizations. If we want to search the galaxy for signals of aliens, how will we be able to recognize them if their technology is so advanced that we won’t even be able to recognize it as such? And for folks who want to think about UFOs and UAPs, Clarke’s third law works the other way, allowing every protest of “that’s not possible” to be swatted away with the simple claim that aliens can do anything because they have super-hyper-mega-advanced technology.

So, with these questions in mind, let’s take a moment to look critically at Clarke’s third law in terms of our search for intelligent technological life in the universe. But before we begin, as a cautionary tale, let’s note that Arthur C. Clarke published his three “laws” in a 1962 essay called “Hazards of Prophecy: The Failure of Imagination.” And his first law states, “When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.” While I may not be elderly quite yet, I’m no spring chicken — so you may need to keep that in mind for what follows.

From stone tools to jet planes

Since the beginning of the scientific age some 400 years ago, we have seen massive, stunning advances in our technological capacities. In 1500, the fastest you could travel was 30 or 40 miles per hour on a galloping horse. Now we routinely travel at 600 miles per hour in jet planes, and we carry smartphones in our pockets that certainly would have seemed like magic to our ancestors. We came of age in what some have called the “Great Acceleration” where everything has gotten faster and smaller and more extraordinary. But if we want to think about other civilizations in space, particularly older civilizations, the question becomes: Does this kind of technological acceleration continue indefinitely?

Let’s look at that question by answering another: What was the fastest speed an ordinary person could reach in 1962? The answer, remarkably, is about the same as today. Jet travel was available to people in 1962, and they traveled at the same 600 miles per hour as today. So across more than half a century, our ability to move ourselves from one place to another hasn’t undergone anything like a quantum jump in capacity. The technology for moving stuff has stalled. We do not have anti-gravity flotation or teleportation zappers. How long can this kind of technological stasis last? Our deep history offers some insight.

Consider the toolkit our distant ancestors had at their disposal. The genus Homo distinguished itself among its animal cousins by its advanced ability to use tools. While there are many other animals that use tools (chimps and birds are but two examples), our ancestors a million years ago were crafting tools from stone in ways that outstripped anything seen in the animal kingdom. But progress was very, very slow. If you look back one million years ago, you find sharpened stones used as scrapers or hammers. If you look 250,000 years later, you find sharpened stones used as scrapers or hammers. Even 250,000 years after that, there are more sharpened stones used as scrapers or hammers. While this description is a bit simplistic, it is true that across half a million years, there was no leap from stone tools to the wheel or sail. The technology of our ancestors stayed remarkably stable.

Are we limited by imagination… or by physics?

These examples raise a point that we all too easily forget now because we have been blinded by the insane progress of the last 400 years: Technology does not have to accelerate endlessly. What if the four forces physicists have discovered really are all the ways possible to push or pull things? What if the “exotic energy” that theoretical physicists like to pop into their equations to imagine things like stable wormholes really are nothing more fun figments of our imaginations?

It is possible that we could use physics that we know exists to refine key aspects of our technologies — like rockets and fusion and smart materials — to produce marvels but remain stuck well below the speed of light or never gain the capacity to manipulate gravity.

So, I don’t doubt Clarke’s third law is true. Sufficiently advanced technology will be indistinguishable from magic. What I wonder about is if all, or even any, civilizations have technologies that we won’t be able to recognize in the broadest sense of the word. Maybe technology stalls because the laws of physics really do only allow certain kinds of behavior. That may not be a story that any of us want to hear (me most of all). But, then again, the universe is not in the business of caring about what we want.

“A miracle is an event brought about by the power of God that is, a temporary exception to the ordinary course of nature for the purpose of showing that God has acted in history.”[1] A miracle will always promote good and never promote evil, because God is good. Miracles are never for show. They have the distinct purpose of glorifying God and pointing man to Him.

That is defining a miracle of God, but the demonic has its deceiving uses of such.

And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. (Exodus 7:10-11)

And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said. (Exodus 7:21-22)

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. (Exodus 8:6-7)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. (Exodus 8:16-19)

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)

why would Pharaoh command Egyptian sorcerers to duplicate the plagues besetting his people? Shouldn't Pharaoh instead be commanding his "magicians" to counteract the plagues caused by Aaron's rod? What am I not getting here?

A good question, to which I respond that not only is it possible that duplicating is easier then undoing a miracle, and since the professional magicians could only duplicate two plagues and initiated none, then it is hardly reasonable to presume they could reverse what Moses did, at least without ending up as their serpent did. In no case did the magicians manifest superior power, but only a limited initial duplication.

And seeing as Moses was the initiator of miracle and had already showed superior power (Moses' serpent eats up the magician's) then likely Pharaoh would rather endure some trouble ( first plague) and then ask the judge himself to reverse course (second plague), rather than unduly provoke the offended Power more.

And thus the relevant question is, why did Pharaoh wait until the second actual plague (the third miracle) to ask Moses to reverse the third miracle. And why did it take many more plagues and exceedingly extreme measures to bring Pharaoh to relent, (Exodus 12:29,30) yet which was only temporally?

A reasonably answer to your question is found by considering both the nature of the judgments as well as that of Pharaoh.

In the first miracle (rod became a serpent) the judgment was physically harmless, (rod turns into serpent, but Moses' eats up the magicians) though being a demonstration of power over a false God.

And the second miracle, the first plague, this was only of one week and was bearable, (all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. And seven days were fulfilled...) and as later evidenced, stubborn proud Pharaoh was not one who was much motivated by care for his people.

In the case of the third miracle, the second plague (frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt), Pharaoh went directly to the prophet who instrumentally caused this and asked him to reverse the curse, which he did, yet once again Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.

In the case of the fourth miracle, the third plague, then the magicians of Egypt could not duplicate the miracle, thus they could hardly be expected to reverse it.

Miracle 1. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. (Exodus 7:10-12)

Miracle 2, first plague: And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the Lord had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also. And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river. And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river. (Exodus 7:19-25)

Miracle 3, second plague: And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord.? (Exodus 8:5-8)...And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. (Exodus 8:13-15)

Miracle 4, third plague: And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said. (Exodus 8:16-19)

But thanks for your question. If you have more, let me know and by the grace of God I will try to get to them.

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